Tuesday, April 18, 2017

Children to Give Name to Wandering Wolf from Mexico, Captured in Arizona

Mexican gray wolf f1505, a.k.a "Trumpet"

Tucson, AZ. – A female Mexican gray wolf, born in captivity and released in Mexico, and who was captured in southeastern Arizona on March 26, will receive a more memorable name than her identification number, “f1530.” In a contest sponsored by Mexicanwolves.org, children will choose a name for the lone wolf in a public naming contest that starts today.

“This wolf has earned an evocative name to match her amazing journey,” said Maya Rommwatt of Mexicanwolves.org, which maintains a website that provides information to thousands of people who root for the survival of the Mexican wolf. The naming contest will remain open for two weeks and is accessible from Mexicanwolves.org and from the Facebook page “Mexican Gray Wolves.”

The eleven-month old female wolf was born in captivity in Mexico, and released in Chihuahua in October. She roamed north, crossing the international border into Arizona near the Chiricahua Mountains, and was captured after killing one cow; seven other dead cows nearby, on which she might have scavenged, died from non-wolf causes. She is now being held in captivity in New Mexico.

Contrary to the recommendations of scientists, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Arizona Game and Fish Commission have maintained that recovery of the critically endangered Mexican gray wolf can be achieved by exchange of individuals between the two existing populations in the Southwest and Mexico, with no resort to establishing additional populations farther north.

“Recovery requires at least three populations of wolves with numbers that are sustainable and free movement by wolves from one population to the other, said Sandy Bahr, chapter director for Sierra Club’s Grand Canyon (Arizona) Chapter. “Recovery will fail if the government removes every wolf who attempts to move between Mexico and the U.S. or if it erects additional impediments, such as a wall.”

“We hope that whatever name this wolf eventually receives, that she will be known by that name throughout a long life to be continued in the wild,” said Rommwatt.

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Located in South Salem, NY, the Wolf Conservation Center (www.nywolf.org) exists to educate people about wolves and their valuable role in the environment, and to help protect their future in the wild. The WCC is home to ambassador wolves that visitors can observe in spacious natural enclosures. We also have over 20 wolves as part of our participation in Species Survival Plans for critically endangered Mexican Gray Wolves and Red Wolves. To learn more about us or to arrange a visit, please go to our website and follow us on Facebook. Questions about the blog? Email us at nywolf.org@gmail.com